Sermon on

The 7000 Year Theory

By C. B. Pepper
 

Today we will be looking at an interesting theory which has been proposed by some Christians, known as the 7000 year plan of God. What we will do is examine this theory, consider the weight of Biblical and other evidence for it, and assess whether it may be more than a theory. The theory goes something like this. God created the the world in six days and and rested on the seventh. However the creation week was also a blueprint of God's redemptive plan for earth. Symbolically each creation day represents 1000 years of earth's history so that the first six days represent the time of suffering under the works of Satan and the seventh day represents a 1000 years of rest. The 7000 year theory is based on the idea that to God a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. From God's perspective the plan will only take a week. Challenging Questions During the course of our discussion we will examine the following challenging questions: 1. Does God have a plan for planet Earth? If so, what are the objectives, the timeframe, what has occurred already and what is yet to occur? 2. Was the Earth created in 7 literal days? Does it really matter? 3. Can we determine how long Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden? 4. What is the significance of Jesus the Passover lamb? 5. Can we determine when Christ was crucified? 6. Can we predict the Second Coming of Christ? 7. What will occur after Jesus returns?   Sin Problem Prior to Creation It is important to note from the outset that prior to the creation of planet Earth there was a sin problem in the universe. Revelation 12:7-9 says, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." So we see that Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven to the Earth. In Genesis chapter 3 we find Satan in the Garden of Eden speaking through a serpent at the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Now from the very beginning of Earth's history we see that God was still in control of the devil. Satan was not permitted to freely wander about and tempt Adam and Even in the garden of Eden. He was only allowed access to one location, ie the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God also demonstrated His special interest in the future of mankind by warning Adam and Eve that if they ate of the fruit of that tree they would die.   Did Adam and Eve Die when they Sinned? When God created Adam and Eve He warned them against eating the forbidden fruit. God told Adam, "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die", (Gen. 2:17 yet Adam lived to 930 years old. (Gen. 5:1-5) Is this a contradiction? No, because Adam did die 'spiritually' that day, (Gen. 3:1-24).  If we take a 'day of the Lord' as equivalent to 1000 years (2 Peter 3:8), we see that Adam died physically within the limits of the first day.  Death is separation. A physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. Spiritual death, which is of greater significance, is the separation of the  soul from God.   Nakedness of Adam and Eve When Adam and Eve were first created, they were both naked and yet they had no shame (Gen. 2:25).  However after they sinned Genesis 3:7 says, "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked". This resulted in them trying to hide from the presence of the Lord, and they covered their nakedness with fig-leaf aprons. Some Bible students think that the time of their hiding from God’s presence was three hours, corresponding to the three hours when the sun was darkened at our Lord’s crucifixion (see Matt. 27:45).1,2 The part about Adam and Eve only discovering their nakedness after sin sounds a bit odd, as though there is something missing in the story. Because, when God created Adam and Eve, He didn’t make their human bodies something to be ashamed of. It was only after sin that Adam and Eve first saw their nakedness. Now isn't this a bit peculiar, because no other creature on the whole planet knows that it is naked, not wearing clothes – only mankind? The nakedness of Adam and Eve was a direct result of sin. It is thought that as sinless beings they had an inherent glory and wore a clothing of light, which disappeared after their sin. Sinless beings such as angels and the Deity have varying degrees of glory or brightness about them. When Christ was transfigured He shone with the brightness of His glory. When God created the earth, it was the glory of God which illuminated the Earth for the first three days of creation. What happened when Adam and Even sinned was that their glory or clothing of light disappeared. This was occasioned with their spiritual death and physical nakedness.   Temptation of Adam Eve may have been deceived by the serpent however Adam appears to have eaten of the fruit knowing exactly what he was doing. So why would Adam yield to temptation so easily knowing what God had told him? There seems to be more to the story, and there quite possibly was. Imagine Adam seeing Eve standing before him, arguably the most beautiful woman in earth's history, in her newfound nakedness, using her powers of persuasion and sexuality to tempt him while she was eating the forbidden fruit and obviously very much alive. Adam loved Eve and didn't want to be separated from her, as probably would have happened had he decided not to sin. Now what chance did Adam have? Satan himself probably couldn't have done a better job. Eve's punishment fits her crime. Pain in childbirth. God's Plan Revealed in the Garden When God created Adam and Eve He gave them freedom of choice and knew that there was a possibility that they might rebel as had Satan and his fallen angels. So this eventuality was considered by God when He created the Earth. God had a plan from the foundation of the Earth and this He revealed to Adam, Eve and the serpent (Satan) after the fall. God said to the serpent that the "seed of the woman" would crush the serpent's head. (Gen. 3:15) The plan was immediately implemented with the slaying of two innocent animals to clothe the nakedness of Adam and Eve. This was also the first substitutionary sacrifice for the atonement of sins, representing Christ who would one day pay the ultimate ransom for the penalty of sin. The consequence of Adam's sin is that he forfeited rulership of the Earth to Satan. He had chosen to disobey God, and Satan as prince of the Earth, was allowed to freely roam the earth as he pleased to tempt and deceive mankind.  Notwithstanding this, God had a plan to pay the penalty for sin and defeat the devil.  His redemptive plan was to annul death in two distinct stages, corresponding to His two advents.  The 7000 year theory predicts that the first advent of Christ in 4000 years will take care of spiritual death.  The second advent 2000 years later would take care of physical death. 7000 Year Theory The 7000 year theory is a belief that the seven day week reveals a 7000 year divine plan for mankind, with 6000 years for mankind to 'labour' under the rule of Satan and sin's penalties and a 1000 year period of 'rest' under the rule of Jesus Christ. Revelation 20:1-5 prophesies that there will be a 1000 year (millennial) period in which Jesus and the saints will reign. That is basically the theory. The Epistle of Barnabas, written about 200 AD, actually expounded on the concept of the 7000 year plan of God, stating that the 'end' would occur at the point of 6000 years from the creation of mankind. This ancient document of the early church period stated: “of the Sabbath He speaketh in the beginning of the creation; `And God made the works of his hands in six days and He ended on the seventh day, and rested on it, and He hallowed it. Give heed, children, what this meaneth, `He ended in six days` He meaneth this, that IN SIX THOUSAND YEARS THE LORD SHALL BRING ALL THINGS TO AND END, for the day with Him signifieth a thousand years; and this He himself beareth me witness, saying, `behold, the day of the Lord shall be as a THOUSAND YEARS.` Therefore, children, in six days, that is IN SIX THOUSAND YEARS, EVERYTHING SHALL COME TO AN END`. And He rested on the seventh day`. This he meaneth; when His Son shall come, and shall abolish the time of the Lawless One, and shall judge the ungodly, and shall change the sun and the moon and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day”. (Epistles of Barnabus, chap.15 The Apostolic Fathers, pp.151-152)3 1 Day is 1000 Years in the Sight of God The 7000 year theory is based on an assumption that one day is like 1000 years in the sight of God. The following texts lend support for that assumption: Psalms 90:4 "For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." 2 Peter 3:8 "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with YHWH as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Revelation 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of the Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand years." In Gen. 2:17, it says: "In the day you eat of the fruit of this tree you shall surely die." It is no coincidence that those who lived before the Flood died just short of a 1000 years of age. Thus figuratively speaking, Adam, and all his offspring before the flood, died within a "day"---that is, within a thousand years.    Bible Analogies cited in Support 7000 Year Theory LAZARUS John 11 outlines the events over six days   1.  Lazarus is sick for 2 days (John 11:1,5-6)   2.  Lazarus is dead for 4 days (John 11:39). Lazarus is resurrected on the seventh day. (John 11:40-44)   SLAVES Slaves worked for six years, the 7th year is freedom (Exodus 21:2) (Deut 15:1)  KING JOASH King Joash was the rightful king of Israel but who was hidden in the temple of God for six years while an impostor reigned (Queen Athaliah).  Athaliah is a picture of Satan the devil, the great usurper. After six years, which represent 6000 years, the king was brought forth to sit on his rightful throne, and the usurper was put to death (v.16).  KING SOLOMON King Solomon (a type of Jesus) had six steps to this throne and the 7th step was his throne (II Chronicles 9:18). ISAAC Jacob is Israel (Genesis 32:27-28)   1.  Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20).   2.  Rebekah was barren for 20 years before Jacob (Israel) was born (Genesis 25:21,26). Isaac was 40 years old (4000) when He married, just as Jesus comes forth and pays for a bride (us) at 4000 years. Isaac was 60 years old when he has Jacob (Israel) just like Israel will be when it assumes its God ordained place after 6000 years during the millennium. ARK   Gen 8:4  And the ark rested in the seventh month NOAH Noah was 600 years of age when God destroyed the world with the Deluge (Gen.7:6).  Even so, when the world is 6000 years of age, God will once again intervene to destroy the wicked and usher in the Kingdom of God.   LAND TO REST Exodus 23:11   But the seventh [year] thou shalt let it rest and lie still. Lev 25:4   But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land (Israel was sent into exile to Babylon for 70 years for violating God’s Sabbaths) PROMISED LAND Israel's first full year in the promised land was a Sabbatical year (Joshua 5:11) (Adam and Eve’s full first day in Eden was the Sabbath) The Saints will enter the new heaven and new earth in the Sabbatical millennium. GOOD SAMARITAN PARABLE (Luke.10:25-35)  A "certain man" fell among thieves who stripped him of his raiment and wounded him, is a picture of humanity today!  The "priest and the Levite" refer of the "children of the flesh of Abraham,"  Israel, the Jews today that should have been true to their responsibility before God and ministered unto this man. Instead they "passed by on the other side." Jesus is the "certain Samaritan" because, He was rejected by Jews; He came where the certain man was...saw him...had compassion on him."; He provided for the man and promised to return. The provision was two pence.  A penny is equal to a day's wages. (Matt.20:1-16). Jesus (the certain Samaritan) gave Himself and provided for us, and will return after two days (the 5th. and 6th. day). TRANSFIGURATION "And AFTER SIX DAYS Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light" (Matt.17:1-2). Here again, six days equals 6,000 years, in typology.  At the end of 6,000 years, Jesus Christ will appear IN HIS GLORY (Matt. 24:30; 25:31; Rev.1:13-16; 11:15-17; 19:11-16).   JUDAH Genesis 29: Children of Leah (seven children are prophecies of the 7000 year period). Leah was not loved. She asks God for a son. With the 4th son Judah we see an allusion to the appearance of Jesus the Messiah. Judah means "Praise". Jesus was born at the end of the fourth day (after 4,000 years) into the tribe of Judah. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.4,5 Why do we have a Seven Day Week? No more logic supports seven days than, say eight or five, yet the seven-day week has resisted any and all attempts at change. Unlike the year and the month, which correspond to the movements of the earth around the sun and the moon around the earth, the week has no astronomical analogue. Seven days is roughly the same length of a phase of the moon (seven days, nine hours) but any system of timekeeping quickly falls apart due to the extra hours piling up. Atheistic revolutionaries tried, unsuccessfully, to get rid of the seven-day week. In 1793 the leaders of the French Revolution produced a new calendar divided into three ten-day "decades." It never caught on, and Napoleon abandoned it in 1805. In 1929 the Soviet Union tried a five-day week, with one day of rest. Instead of the traditional day names, the days were given colors: yellow, orange, red, purple, and green. In order to keep mass production going, each Soviet citizen was assigned a different day of rest, so that a husband might have a yellow day off, while his wife took her leisure on green. Due to mass confusion, the plan was revised in 1932 to a six-day week, with numbers replacing the colors. By 1940, the Russians were back on the familiar seven-day cycle!6 Just why did God choose to create the Earth in six days? Could God have created everything in six seconds? Of course the answer is yes. Could God have created everything in six minutes? The answer again is yes. Could God have created everything in one second? The answer is of course that an infinite Creator God could create in any time He wanted to. In fact, an omnipotent Creator could actually create everything in no time at all. Thus we need to be asking ourselves why God took so long. In other words, six ordinary days is a long time for an infinite Creator God to create the universe. He actually made His creative acts a process over six days to set a pattern for man-the basis of the seven-day week. This is why our Creator took so long-He did it for us. He set the pattern for our work week. An interesting research project would be to get people to investigate nations that have tried to change the seven-day week. Such experiments have always failed, because biologically man is set up for six days of work, one day of rest. Creation in Seven Days Now let's take a look at creation week. According to the Genesis account the Earth was created in six literal days. This is clear because at the end of each creation day it says, "And the evening and the morning were the first (second etc) day. (Genesis 1:5) Day 1 LIGHT appears Day 2 WATERS are divided Day 3 LAND appears with vegetation Day 4 SUN, MOON AND STARS created Day 5 WATERS bring forth living creatures Day 6 LAND is populated Day 7 REST Genesis 2:1-2 says, '"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them, and on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." The Creator is a planner. As such, he has a plan which is on a schedule. This should not be so difficult for us to imagine. But what is his time schedule? Back at creation, the Creator gave us a blueprint. He created the world in six days and rested or rather "ceased" on the seventh. However, in his ceasing from his work on the seventh day, he still created something: the pattern for seven day weekly cycle ending in a day later named the Sabbath. When he finally gave the Torah to Israel, He included a commandment about the seventh day.7 Exodus 20:8-11 says, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." So we have six days of work and then the seventh day brings REST! Some people wonder whether is makes any difference about which day the Sabbath is observed or how it is kept. Well, unlike the other commandments there is no logical justification for it apart from it being a memorial of creation and a specific command of God. However the Sabbath command stands out in the Decalogue because in it is found the seal of God, ie His name - God, His authority - Creator; and his Dominion - Heaven and Earth. Isaiah 58:13,14 points out that the Sabbath day is not a day to do your own pleasure or seek your own will, but is a day set aside for all of mankind to rest and worship the Creator.   Where did Light come from on the First Day? How could there be light, mornings and evenings on the first, second, and third days if the sun, moon, and stars were not created until the fourth day? This is only a problem if we fail to take into account an infinite and omnipotent God. God does not need the sun, moon, and stars to provide light. God is light! First John 1:5 declares, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all." God Himself was the light for the first three days of Creation, just as He will be in the new heavens and new earth, “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5). Until He created the sun, moon, and stars, God miraculously provided light during the “day” and may have done so during the “night” as well (Genesis 1:14).8   The Wonder of the Solar Eclipses In the July-August 2009 issue of Discover Magazine there was a short feature on eclipses. It included these statements: “The beautiful symmetry of a total solar eclipse happens because–by pure coincidence–the sun is 400 times larger than the moon but is also 400 times farther from earth, making the two bodies appear the exact same size in the sky,” and “Earth is the only place in the solar system where that happens.” Well, is it possible to see “beautiful symmetry” in the heavens and dismiss it as pure chance? Genesis 1:14 records that God designed the capacity for lunar and solar eclipses into our solar system. It states that God arranged the positioning of the heavenly bodies for “signs, seasons, and for days and years.” Human calendars have always been synchronized to either lunar or solar cycles, and many civilizations of mankind have calculated “seasons” (i.e. such as when to plant crops) via the various equinoxes and solstices.9 Does it Matter if Creation is Literal or Figurative? Throughout history and particularly in the last 200 years there has been concerted opposition to the creation account of Genesis chapter 1 and chapter 2. Even a lot of Christians now doubt the literal interpretation and are of the view that God may have used evolution over millions or billions of years to evolve the animal kingdom to where it is now. So does it matter what you believe about the origins of the Earth? The answer if most definitely yes. There are huge implications with regard to the rest of Scripture. If the long geological ages really took place, that means there were at least a billion years of suffering and death in the animal kingdom before the arrival of men and women in the world. This fact leads to the following very disturbing chain of conclusions, as follows: 1) The Bible is not really an authoritative guide, for if it is wrong in these important matters of science and history, which we supposedly can check for ourselves, using scientific and historical investigation, then how can we trust it in matters of salvation, heaven, and everlasting life, which we have no means of verifying scientifically? In fact Jesus said in John 3:12, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?". 2) Death is not really the wages of sin, as the Bible says, for violence, pain, and death reigned in the world long before sin came in. God is directly responsible for this cruel regime, not Adam. 3) Still more significantly, if physical human death was not really an important part of the penalty for sin, then the agonizingly cruel physical death of Christ on the cross was not necessary to pay that penalty.   4) If God's Word was wrong about creation and about the meaning of Christ's death, it becomes obvious that its prophecies and promises concerning the future are of no value either. 5) Finally, there remains no reason to believe in God at all—at least not in the personal, loving, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, righteous God that the Bible makes Him out to be. If that kind of God really existed, He would never have created the groaning, suffering, dying world implied by the long ages required for evolution.10 God's Appointed Timetables are Implemented God did not create the Earth then walk away from it when man sinned. In fact when Adam and Eve sinned, God revealed His redemptive plan to them and the sacrificial system was initiated as a pointer to Jesus' ultimate sacrifice. Many prophecies have been made in the Bible, particularly in the Books of Ezekiel and Daniel, which show that God is in control over the nations and affairs of men down through thousands of years of human history. Tower of Babel The Bible records that God intervenes in human events to ensure that His appointed timetables are implemented. One striking example is after the Deluge at the tower of Babel. Essentially, the whole earth had one language, and all the world’s population had migrated to the same location. The whole world then joined together to build a great city, and had aspirations of building a tower that reached the heavens. Not much detail is given in regards to what exactly their great sin was, but the Lord came down and confused their language, so that they no longer understood each other, thus the people of the city of Babel were dispersed throughout the earth. What is noteworthy about this event was God saying in Genesis 11:6, "Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do."12 What is interesting from this text is that God appears to have intervened and dispersed the people not primarily because of their sinfulness, but rather because of their technology capability and globalisation which threatened to interfere with His redemptive plan for Earth.   Advanced Civilisation before the Flood Evolutionists would have us believe that the further we go back in history the more primitive man was. However we know from the Bible that that was not the case. The civilization before the flood was advanced. Genesis 4:16-17 says, "Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD [after his evil deed] and dwelt in the land of Nod [which means "wandering"] to the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch." Adam was the first generation; Cain was second generation; and Enoch was the third generation. By the time we get to Enoch, Cain was already building a city. He was not building a village, town, enclave, or compound, but he built a city in the time of the third generation. What does that say about their abilities? The Bible also tells us about the achievements of others in the antediluvian world. Jabal was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. He industrialized agriculture, and that included breeding animals and selling them commercially. His brother Jubal was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. In Genesis 4:22 Tubal-Cain is mentioned as "an instructor of every artificer in brass an iron". An artificer is an inventor or craftsman.  Is that not interesting? This means that not only was Tubal-Cain able to work in bronze and iron (the Iron Age did not reappear until the time of David, 1000 BC), he was working at his own forge and teaching other craftsman in the art of metalworking. Thus, you are getting into the manufacture of tools. If you already have iron, it is not long before you create steel. Of course, when talking about iron ore and bronze—which must include copper—you are talking about mining the ore. How do you get the fire to be hot enough to be able to melt them and work with them? We are talking about advanced scientific knowledge that it takes to be able to do these things. What we have here is the kernel of civilization: agriculture, husbandry and all the assorted related fields, the arts, heavy industrial sorts of metalworking. Do not forget, either, that the Jews tell us that there was a calendar that was available within 250 or 300 years of creation. That means that there were people who were dedicated to watching the sky and the astronomical bodies go round and their cycles, which they calculated, which means they had higher math skills. There is no doubt that they all could read and write, because these things had to be written down and recorded to be made available to wider audience.13 Why God Intervened at the Tower of Babel So we see that God intervened at the tower of Babel when mankind was rapidly rebuilding the pre-Flood society and its technologies. God intervened powerfully in human affairs to stop mankind's progress in order to keep His divine timetable in effect. Genesis 11:1-9 records that God altered the language of all mankind in order to stop man from rebuilding the pre-Flood technologies and culture. By confusing everyone's language, God made it impossible for humanity to either pool its knowledge or read any pre-Flood manuscripts. This caused the work to be stopped and the people dispersed throughout the world as God intended.14 There are parallels in the world today with the time of Babel. The last 100 years has seen us develop into a high tech civilisation. We have also been going down the globalisation path.  Recent globalization started on a large scale with worldwide mail and the telephone, where we could almost instantly communicate with others all the way across the globe. Next it was air-travel, opening up global travel in a way like never before. Now, with the internet, email and 24hr news stations, we are experiencing a globalization at a growth rate unprecedented in all of human history (except, maybe, in the case of Babel). The governments and economies of the world are becoming increasingly integrated and the Book of Revelation predicts that this trend will continue. We are becoming, quite frankly, a modern-day, worldwide, Tower of Babel.15 As in the Days of Noah In Matthew 24:37-39 Jesus gave us insight into what the world would be like at the time of the Second Coming. He said,  "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." What Jesus is saying in these texts doesn't appear to be very remarkable. However we need to look at other texts to get a better insight. Genesis 6:5 says, "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually". Genesis 6:12 says, "All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth". Genesis 6:13 says, "...the earth is filled with violence." Genesis 6:6 says,  "It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth." Well how did the Earth get into such a predicament? Genesis 6:1-2 provides some background. It says, "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose." Sons of God and Daughters of Men There has been some difference of opinion as to what this marriage between "the sons of God" and "the daughters of men" represents. Some people have taken the rather remarkable view that they were angels and that at that time they were angels who fell in love with beautiful ladies and married them. There is a fatal objection to that interpretation and that is that angels have no bodies and that they are not in a position to marry anyone. Mathew 22:29,30 says, "Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken [margin: deceived], not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven." Jesus tells us plainly that angelic beings neither marry nor are given in marriage. All the angels, including the demons as revealed in scripture, are described as if they were male. As far as I know, there are none shown to be female. Jesus' word suggests that beyond their appearance of having gender, they are not sexual beings and thus have no need for marriage. Humans were created as male or female in order to reproduce, and thus we have the need for the institution of marriage. That is what God has given us in order to reproduce and have a family and learn great things. Since angels do not reproduce and cannot reproduce, they are essentially sexless. However getting back to Genesis 6:1,2 many reliable Bible teachers believe, that "the sons of God' were the descendants of faithful Seth and "the daughters of men" were from the wicked seed of the murderer Cain. For some hundreds of years they kept apart and intermarried only with themselves but nearer to the flood, they began to intermarry. There was loss of conviction on the part of the godly families and the effect of it was that the whole church, if I can call it that, was entirely at risk. The danger was there would be no godly men or women left in the next generation. That is why God had to intervene. There would have been nothing left - no religion at all; not a single godly man or woman would have been left - so God intervened. In fact only Noah and his family were saved in the Ark despite Noah having preached to the then world for 120 years.16 Are there Parallels in our World Today? We can possibly conclude from Jesus' statement about the "days of Noah" that the latter days will mirror the days of Noah. We know that the days of Noah were characterised by moral wickedness, violence, high technology and globalisation.  These same conditions exist today. We are living in violent times. Crime and arrests are continuing to increase. Law enforcement officers are concerned because more and more young people under the age of sixteen are becoming involved in serious offences. But this should not surprise us. Many of these young people have been conditioned from birth to violence—to commit it, to acquiesce in it, and to consider it normal. Our entire nation is being geared to produce a generation like unto that of the days of Noah. The carefree use of sex and violence on TV, internet, in comics, DVDs, videos and video games, in movies, and in books is producing - and will continue to produce - a harvest of horror, of immoral sex and sexual deviancy, brutality and crimes of every nature. Censorship laws have been so relaxed that almost anything goes. Our Lord also said that in the days before the flood the people were "eating and drinking" (Matt. 24:38). The mention of eating has real significance for our generation. We are a nation of heavy eaters. Go into any city and just take note of the number of eating places. Medical statistics prove that we eat too much. For the most part, people are more interested in the physical and material spheres of life than they are in the spiritual. The marrying and giving in marriage refers to the looseness which abounds in relation to the marriage vows. It also has reference to men and women living together without being married. Divorce and separation are on the increase. It is alarming that in the past forty years divorce has risen from one in forty to one in two marriages. Juvenile delinquency, the result of broken homes, is increasing by leaps and bounds. Sex crimes are sweeping over our communities like a flood. Disobedient Christians are marrying unbelieving partners in outright rejection of God's Word which says, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14). Some churches even ordain openly gay priests.17   History of Earth Let's have a look at the history of Earth and see whether any part of the so called 6000 year plan has occurred. A study of the "begats" of Genesis 5 reveals that there are approximately 2000 years (2 Redemptive days) from Adam to Abraham. Abraham to Christ can be chronicled to be another 2000 years (2 Redemptive days), which gives 4,000 years from Adam to Christ. (4 days) Our calendar places us about 2000 years AD. (another 2 days) completing about 6000 years since Adam, or 6 days before the Lord. (Note: God's Redemptive plan is 6000 years  or six days old. Biblical Chronology of Earth Let's take a look at some of the chronological events of Earth's history to see whether historic events fit within the 7000 year theory. The dates ascribed in the following table can be verified by looking at Bible genealogies. BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGY CHART Time begins - creation of Adam 4004 BC Fall of Adam and Eve 3970 BC2 Flood 2349 BC Noah dies at 950 yrs 1998 BC Abraham born 1996 BC Abraham 100 yrs at birth of Isaac (Genesis 21:5) 1896 BC3 David becomes Israel's 2nd king and reigns 40 yrs (Samuel 5:4,5) 1010 BC Artaxerxes yr 7- he issues decree for Jews to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Start point for Daniel prophecies. 458 BC4 Jesus Christ, the Messiah is born on Tishri 15 (Feast of Tabernacles) 4 BC2 Messiah is baptized in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar 26 AD2 Passover. Messiah is crucified. Christianity begins. 30 AD2 The Gospel is taken from the Jews to the Gentiles 33 AD Siege of Jerusalem and destruction of Herod's temple 70 AD End of 6,000 years since the creation of Adam 1997 AD Second coming 20302 Assumptions: 1. The dating system used is based on the Ussher chronology which is a 17th-century chronology of the history of the world formulated from a literal reading of the Bible by James Ussher, the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh (in what is now Northern Ireland). The chronology is sometimes associated with Young Earth Creationism, which holds that the universe was created only a few millennia ago. 2. This date is a guesstimate based upon our analysis (further reading required) and assuming that the 7000 year theory is correct. 3. There is some conjecture as to the date of birth of Abraham depending on whether his father Terah begat Abram at 70 or 130 years of age. 4. Daniel's '490 year prophecy' start date as interpreted by Sir Isaac Newton. The first 2000 years are characterized, by the school of Elijah the prophet, as years of "tohu" -- that is, waste, emptiness, confusion and chaos -- or "void."  That would be the world prior to Abraham, including the Flood of Noah's time, from 4004 B.C. to 2004 B.C. The next 2,000 years is the time of the "Torah," or "Law" of God -- from the time of Abraham, 2004 B.C. to the birth of Jesus Christ in 4 B.C.!  Analogies of Isaac Looking approx. 2000 years from creation we come to Abraham and Isaac, and we find some amazing parallels between Isaac and Christ. They both had miraculous births. God had promised that a child would be born to Abraham in his old age. In fact Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah 91. It was only through the work of God which allowed Sarah to conceive and it was the power of God that bought about Jesus in an even greater miraculous birth. Isaac, whom Abraham loved, was to be a sacrifice on Mount Moriah. This was actually a mountain range upon which Calvary stood. So this is the same place that approximately 2000 years later God would allow His own Son to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. While Abraham carried the fire and the knife, it was left to Isaac to carry the very wood on which he would be sacrificed. This again pictures the Lord Jesus who, while he was physically able, carried his wood, the cross, to Golgotha where He would die. In Genesis 22:7,8 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Just as Isaac was to take the place of the lamb for this sacrifice, so Jesus became the ‘lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.’ Mt Moriah then, is absolutely sacred to both Jews and Muslims. The Jews believe Abraham was directed by God to take his son Isaac, to go into the land of Moriah, and there to offer him for a burnt offering upon a mountain which God would show him. The Muslims agree that this was the spot where Abraham was tested to sacrifice Ishmael and so on top of the Temple mount where Herod’s Temple once stood, they have built “The Dome of the Rock” Mosque.18 The Two Adams What is important about the 7000 year theory is to establish a start date. I believe that it is possible to obtain clues by looking at Jesus, the second Adam. In 1 Corinthians 15 St Paul repeatedly asserts direct parallels between Adam and Jesus. In verse 45 he refers to 'the first man Adam' who was made 'a living soul' and 'the last Adam' who became a 'quickening spirit.' In verse 22 Paul states: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." In verse 47 he refers to them as 'the first man' and 'the second man.' Paul three times asserts a direct linkage between the lives of Adam and Jesus ('the last Adam' or 'second man'). Similarities Between the Two Adams Why does St Paul refer to Christ as the 'second Adam', or words to that effect? Can we draw any inferences for the purposes of our study by looking at the similarities between the two Adams?   Adam Similarities Jesus The Bible tells us that the first man, Adam, was created by God, in His image and likeness, directly from the dust of the ground. A miraculous beginning Jesus too had a miraculous beginning when He was incarnated as a human being—conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:20–23; Luke 1:26–35). Adam was created a perfect man, in full possession of all human faculties, and had full communion with God.  Perfect, innocent, holy The last Adam, Jesus, was also perfectly man, one with God (John 10:30; 17:21-22), innocent, sinless, and holy (Hebrews 7:26). Adam was the head of the human race. He lost this status to Satan when he sinned. Humanity’s head Jesus Christ is the head of redeemed humanity (see, for example, Ephesians 5:23). He gained this status after victory over Satan at the cross. The first Adam gave life to all his descendants. Both givers of life The last Adam, Jesus Christ, gives eternal life to those who receive Him and believe on His name, giving them ‘power to become the sons of God’ (John 1:1–14). Adam, representing mankind, was given dominion over the created world (Genesis 1:26). Two rulers After being raised from the dead, Jesus Christ was elevated to God’s right hand, and given dominion over all things, which were ‘put under his feet.’ (1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:20–22). Genesis 2:21-23 tells us that God put Adam into a deep sleep, during which time God made Adam’s bride, Eve, from Adam’s side—a wound in Adam’s side produced a bride! A deep sleep produces a beautiful bride After the last Adam, Jesus, died upon the cross—suffering the sleep of death for everyone—His side was pierced by a spear thrust (John 19:34). Thus a wound in the last Adam’s side also produced a bride—the true Church!19   Jesus Lived according to a Time Schedule There is only one story of Jesus after his birth before he begins His public ministry. This story is found in Luke 2:41-52. This gives us a little insight into Jesus' life from twelve years old until He is in his early 30s. According to Luke 2:51 (TNIV), “As Jesus grew up, he increased in wisdom and in favor with God and people.” Jesus seems to be growing or maturing in some way before the beginning of his public ministry. Jesus understood the Scriptures. He knew His mission as did John the Baptist. John's first words when he saw Jesus coming toward him were, "Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29). Jesus knew that God had appointed, not only a pathway for the Messiah to follow, but the very program and time in which the events would occur. Jesus first words in the gospel according to Mark, are these, “The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15, TNIV). Jesus seems to recognize that there is a particular time for the beginning of His public ministry. In other places in the gospels, Jesus speaks about the right timing, or that His time has not yet come. Jesus had a sense about the timing of His ministry, and the beginning of His ministry fits into this timing. Also from the time Jesus first realized why He had been sent into the world, He knew that His main purpose was to arrive in Jerusalem at a precise, exact time and date on God's calendar that had been prophesied by Daniel 700 years earlier, (Daniel 9:24-27). There He knew that He would be betrayed by one of His own, and that He would become a sacrificial lamb for the sins of all the world." Jesus Knew He Would Be Crucified on the Passover. He said in Matthew 26:2 "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." Jesus spoke of a specific time in which he was to lay down his life. In John 7:6-8 KJV "Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come..."  John 13:1 says, "Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end." Jesus' death and resurrection kept a holy timetable on God's Calendar.20,21   When did the 7000 Year Theory Start? By analysing recorded Bible chronology it is generally understood that the Creation occurred at about 4004 BC. It is simply a matter of addition to see that the end of a 6000 year period would be somewhere near 2000 AD. The only unknown in this discussion is when the 6000 years started. The start date could not have been at creation because God created everything perfect. There was no sin, corruption, ageing or death until they sinned. The redemption plan, being a contingency plan, would only be necessary should Adam sin. The start date was when Adam and Eve sinned. On the day that Adam and Eve sinned God revealed His redemption plan to all parties, ie Adam, Eve and the Serpent (Satan). Genesis 3:21 says that God made a covering of skin for Adam and Eve after they sinned. This is the first time blood is shed - right after Adam and Eve followed Satan's advice and rejected God's warning. The result was that some living animal had to die to provide a covering for Adam and Eve. This is the first of a theme in Scripture that something has to die to atone or make payment for sin. The sacrifices were merely a symbol or prophetic picture of how God would do this. Jesus, symbolised as the Passover lamb, was taken and hid for 4 days (4000 years). The sin of Adam and Eve resulted in them being exiled from the Garden of Eden and cut off from the intimate presence and communion which they had previously experienced with God. Some have speculated that the period in the Garden of Eden may have only been a short time, perhaps a few months, before they fell into sin. The rationale given is that after God made Adam and Eve, He told them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth (Genesis 1:28). It is known that they were created as full-grown adults and we don't read anything about the children of Adam and Eve until after they have left the Garden (Genesis 4:1,2). So it is presumed that they may have lived in the Garden for less than a year. There is a flaw to the above arguments because they assume that the human being was the same both before and after the fall. This was definitely not the case. After Adam's sin all nature changed. Adam and Eve lost their covering of light and saw their nakedness. The serpent, once believed to be a glorious flying creature with feathers, was now condemned to slither on its belly. Animals became wild and unfriendly toward man, and many became predators of other animals. Weeds and thistles grew. Another aspect to consider is that Bible chronologies during the antediluvian period reveal that child raising occurred at a relatively late age. For example, Adam's son Seth lived 105 years before his first born, and grandson Enos lived 90 years before his firstborn. The Bible does not tell us how long that sinless time period lasted. The Book of Jubilees in fact pegs it at seven years, however that book is not considered Scripture and may not be reliable. And as it turns out, adding those seven years to the year 1997 (a reasonable guess for the 6000 year anniversary of creation) would require that the end of the 6000 years of man arrive in 2003. Because the Second advent is still in the future it is likely that the period before sin may have been much longer.7,22   Why did it take 4000 Years for the Messiah to Come? Now why did it take some 4000 years from creation for the Messiah to come? We find the answer in the theology of the ritual of the Passover lamb.  Israel was instructed to keep the Passover Lamb for 4 days before killing it in the evening. (Exod.12:1-6)  Also notice that when Adam sinned, Christ our Passover was taken and kept for 4000 years (4 days) and crucified at the end (i.e. the evening) of the fourth day. St Paul confirms this in 1 Cor. 5:7: "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." 1 Peter 1:20 says Jesus "was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in these last times for you." Another thing to note about the Passover lamb is found in Exodus 12:5: "Your lamb shall be without blemish." Now why did it matter whether the sacrificial lambs had any spots or blemishes? The answer is that the sacrificial lambs symbolically represented Christ. 1 Peter 1:19,20 says, "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot".  Atonement for our sins could be made by none other than Christ, not even the highest of angels. Christ was the only one worthy because He was God.   Jesus the Passover Lamb I believe that we may see clues to the start date of the redemption plan if we take at look at Jesus' crucifixion and His role as the Passover lamb. There are a number of parallels between Adam, Jesus and the Passover lamb. The first ever Passover occurred back in the Garden of Eden when the angel should have killed Adam physically, but he did not, in the kindness of God he passed over him. And the same 'Angel' then gave His life as a ransom for him, having spared him at the will of His Father.   Jesus Hour of the Day Passover Lambs Jewish "Hours" starts at Sunrise Sunrise = 1st hour = 6AM   Roman Day starts at Midnight Midnight = 1st hour = 12 PM On 10th Nisan Jesus made His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey following exactly the same path to the temple that the Passover lamb had just taken (Matthew 21:1-11).  During the four days, the chief priests, elders, Pharisees, and Sadducees interrogated Jesus; but He always left them speechless, because they could find no fault with His impeccable logic and character (Matthew 21:23-27, 22:23-46, 26:59,60).23 7000 YEAR THEORY PARALLEL These four days are prophetic of the Messiah being hid from the world and not coming to earth for four days or 4,000 years after the fall of Adam. NISAN 10th - 13th (Sun. 6PM to Thurs. 6 PM)   On the tenth of Nisan the priests carried the lambs for the Passover sacrifices into the Temple, as commanded by God (see Ex. 12:3). (A Jewish historian Josephus records the number of lambs slain during the feast to be about 256,500)24 The lambs were kept in public view at the temple for everyone to examine and if no blemish or defect could be found, they qualified for the sacrifice and were killed on the fourteenth.24 The Passover lamb entered Jerusalem with a sign hanging around its' neck with the name of its' owner inscribed on it. Likewise Jesus' died with a sign hung over him. The Hebrew initials for "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" was YHWH--the Hebrew name for God.24   NISAN 14   Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with disciples and afterwards went to Mount of Olives.25 (6 PM Thursday   Jesus was betrayed and arrested in the middle of the night and was taken to the High Priest. (Luke 22:47-53) Midnight   Peter is in the High Priest's courtyard and denies Jesus three times and the rooster crows. (Luke 22:56-62) 2-3 AM   At daybreak the elders, chief priests and scribes question Jesus asking whether he was the Christ (Luke 22:66,67) Daybreak   After Jesus said He was the Son of God they sent Him to Pilate. (Luke 22:69 - 23:1) 6 AM   Pilate sent Jesus to Herod (Luke 23:7) Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate (Luke 23:11) 6 -9 AM   "It was ... about the sixth hour (Roman time) ... Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified." (John 19:14-16) Soldiers mocked Jesus, struck him, spat on him and took him to Golgotha. (Mark 15:16-24 and Luke 22:60-23:32). Jesus carried his own cross, to Golgotha. (John 19:17) 6-9 AM 7000 YEAR THEORY PARALLEL The Passover lamb must be a male. It was through one man’s sin…Romans 5:12. Adam the first male sinned; therefore, a firstborn male must make atonement for man’s sin. Jesus was the first born Son of God.26 “It was the third hour when they crucified [Jesus]” (Mark 15:25); that is, it was the third hour of daylight, or about 9:00 a.m.  9 AM The Passover lamb in the temple was bound to the altar at about 9:00 a.m.23 "At the sixth hour (Hebrew time) darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour." (Mark 15:33) Hebrew time: 12 noon and 3 PM 7000 YEAR THEORY PARALLEL It is quite probable that Adam ate the forbidden fruit at about 12 Noon. Some Bible students think that the time of Adam and Eve hiding from God’s presence was three hours, corresponding to the three hours when the sun was darkened at our Lord’s crucifixion (see Matt. 27: 45).2 7000 YEAR THEORY PARALLEL Just as Adam died spiritually in the Garden but remained alive physically when he disobeyed, so Christ was spiritually dead on the Cross while darkness enveloped the Earth for 3 hours, signifying His alienation from the Father for our sakes but remained alive physically (Matt. 27:45-46; Gal. 3:13). 12 Noon - 3 pm PERIOD OF DARKNESS The sixth hour (Noon our time) was Israel's preparation of the Passover—That is, the time in which they were just preparing to kill the paschal lamb.27 During the 6 hours on the cross Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. He destroys the separation that sin caused between God and man.28 This darkness testifies to the Father’s having forsaken his Son. It demonstrates the Father has withdrawn the light of his glory, mercy, and blessings from Jesus to abandon him to His dark wrath and punishment.30   "and at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice. . . With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last." (Mark 15:34) Hebrew time: 3PM The following events occurred during the earthquake following Jesus' death (Matthew 27:51-52): 1) The earth shook and the rocks split 2) The veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom 2) The tombs opened and the dead raised to life 3) Jesus was acknowledged as the Son of God by a Roman soldier. These also point to the fact that Jesus' redemption work was done and finished when He died. Paul explains that Jesus triumphed over the powers of darkness, ‘by the cross’ (Colossians 2:14,15). 7000 YEAR THEORY PARALLEL After Adam and Eve sinned and realized they were naked, God killed two innocent animals and made coverings for the man and his wife. (Genesis 3:21) This was the first picture of the atonement. 7000 YEAR THEORY PARALLEL After Adam and Eve sinned God told the serpent (Satan) that he would be defeated by the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15). This occurred 4000 years later when Jesus shed his blood on the cross. 3 PM JESUS DIED Jesus was slaughtered with all the other lambs that same day at 3:00 p.m. on the 14th of Nisan.27 It was about 3:00 p.m. that Jesus died (Luke 23:44-46)—the same time that the sacrificial Passover lamb in the temple was slaughtered.  As the high priest killed the lamb, he would have announced, “It is finished.”  It is no accident that, on the cross a few kilometres away, Jesus’ last words also were, “It is finished” (John 19:30), which literally meant, “Paid in full.”23 7000 YEAR THEORY PARALLEL Adam regained life spiritually through saving faith in God's mercy and His plan of redemption through a future descendant. Christ regained life spiritually on the Cross when he was reunited with the Father at the end of that period of darkness. It was then that Jesus could declare, 'It is finished' (John 19:28-30; Luke 23:46). Jesus' bones were not broken. John 19:32 says, "Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs". The Soldier Pierces Jesus Side (John 19:34) Jesus was taken down and buried in a nearby borrowed tomb just before the end of the day or before 6 PM. (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42) It was Preparation Day (that is the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus' body." (Mark 15:42-43) (no work was allowed on the Sabbath). 3-6 PM There were clear instructions concerning the Passover sacrifice. Exodus 12:46 says, "neither shall ye break a bone thereof." Between 3-5 PM thousands of lambs are being slain for Passover at the same Jesus dies.30 The body of the Passover lamb was to be killed and eaten in the same night. Jesus was tried, convicted, crucified and died all on the 14th of Nisan the Feast of Passover. Death by crucifixion and the burial usually took more than one day. Jesus died in a matter of 6 hours.27   NISAN 15   Sabbath starts at 12th hour or Sunset. 6 PM Sabbath starts at Sunset 6 PM Chief priests and Pharisees ask Pilate to put a guard on the tomb about 7 PM (4 hours after Jesus died and one hour into the Sabbath but our Friday night) Matthew 27:62 The Messiah rests in the tomb, observing the Sabbath day rest the entire day. This is the second day in the grave.31 7 PM     NISAN 16   The resurrection takes place     How long did Adam live in the Garden of Eden? The Passover lamb was taken on 10th Nisan and slain at evening on 14th Nisan. Likewise Jesus was taken (when Adam sinned) and hid for 4 redemptive days or 4000 years. As the perfect Passover lamb, Jesus' death paid the ransom for the penalty of sin. His crucifixion marked the end of 4000 years of sin and 4000 years of redemptive work. The conclusion which can be drawn is that Jesus’ life up to his ransom corresponded temporally with Adam's up to his sin requiring a ransom. Now Jesus died 33½ years after he was born. So Adam sinned 33½ years after he was born. This temporal correspondence acts as a witness to Jesus' life being a ransom for Adam.32 When was Jesus' Crucified? The next step in analysing the 7000 year theory is to establish when Jesus died. If this date can be established then the 7000 year theory predicts 2000 more years to the Second Coming of Jesus. The most likely years when Jesus died are between